Do you own your own home?

It's my house, and I live here...

  • Total voters
    55
RJN said:
I didn’t know that. I found London far more expensive (in general, not for theatre) than New York
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Well when we went to NY we managed to get two Broadway shows at about $100 for a pretty rubbish seat and that was done during a TodayTix discount deal.
 
Star said:
My life is much more than my husband and children though. Family and friends play a massive part, and bringing up young children with no support is very difficult! And we're not unhappy in London either, it's just expensive but we accept that for now because of the advantages it offers us. I feel like you always assume everyone living in London is unhappy. I'm sure I read somewhere where you said growing up somewhere more rural can be a bit dull at times.
So for now this works for us. Our long term plan is definitely to move somewhere a bit further out when the children are much older. But by that point we'll have the 'London money' to take with us :o
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I don't think all people who live in London are unhappy. A lot of moopers have said they love London for the theatre and nightlife etc and I absolutely appreciate that. But you yourself have said how expensive it is, and you pay more in childcare than you earn in a day. TO ME, that seems strange.

When I said I can't understand why people choose to live in London, most moopers have given reasons such as the theatre. Where as you said you "didn't choose to, you were born there". Making it sound like you didn't enjoy it.

During lockdown 1 you also made a comment along the lines of how lucky I was to live in such close proximity to beaches and scenery, and you didn't have that.

To me, that doesn't make me think you love living there. But if I'm wrong, I apologise.

However, if you do, and you clearly have your reasons to stay there, then good for you. You need to do what makes you happy.

I got bored of the island for about 5 years from 16-21. Otherwise I've loved it and couldn't imagine a nicer place to have grown up as a child, bear in mind I spent the first ten years of my life living near Kingston upon Thames and going in to London a lot.

But everyone is different. I appreciate it wouldn't be easy bringing up kids without family near by, but people do it.

But like you said, London works for you for now and that's all that matters. But for me, personally, I want more than for somewhere to work for the time being. I could be dead in a year's time, I want to know I love where I live now.

That's all <3
 
Ellie said:
Well when we went to NY we managed to get two Broadway shows at about $100 for a pretty rubbish seat and that was done during a TodayTix discount deal.
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Yeah it really is a to do to get the cheap tickets. I just assumed London would be the same.

I went to college in New York and they had all kinds of discounts on Broadway tickets, which was amazing
 
lolly said:
I'd happily live where Rachey lives now.
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I think your needs change as you get older as well. I forget you and I are old now, I like the peace and quiet and pretty views, which is probably why I can't see the appeal of London for me.
 
Having loads of friends with children, the cost of child care is absolutely shocking. Is it the same everywhere? Like Star, it seems a lot of them are working in order to pay for child care. One of my friends is on maternity leave right now and can't get a place for her son at a nursery before returning, so has found it's cheaper to get her mum to come to London for a month and put her up in a flat through Air BnB :o
 
Rachey said:
I think your needs change as you get older as well. I forget you and I are old now, I like the peace and quiet and pretty views, which is probably why I can't see the appeal of London for me.
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'You and I'

BLESS YOU
 
I would like to live by the sea, although not in Scotland...a move darn sarff would be on the cards for that. Expensive business tho'.
 
octophone said:
I would like to live by the sea, although not in Scotland...a move darn sarff would be on the cards for that. Expensive business tho'.
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Mandy and I are desperate to visit Scotland, loch Lomond area. But I want no rain.
 
Rachey said:
I think your needs change as you get older as well. I forget you and I are old now, I like the peace and quiet and pretty views, which is probably why I can't see the appeal of London for me.
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Since my mum is 70 and can't see herself living anywhere but London, I feel I'm very much the same. Since you lived near Kingston you should know, we have pretty parks and views here too. No sea of course, but she lived by the coast for 15 years and hated that too :D I think it was just the overall lack of diversity of people. Whenever I would visit her there, I felt distinctly uncomfortable going to the town centre and seeing 99% white faces.
 
octophone said:
I would like to live by the sea, although not in Scotland...a move darn sarff would be on the cards for that. Expensive business tho'.
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Just the temperature? Only Scotland has many of the best beaches without doubt.
 
Ellie said:
Since my mum is 70 and can't see herself living anywhere but London, I feel I'm very much the same. Since you lived near Kingston you should know, we have pretty parks and views here too. No sea of course, but she lived by the coast for 15 years and hated that too :D I think it was just the overall lack of diversity of people. Whenever I would visit her there, I felt distinctly uncomfortable going to the town centre and seeing 99% white faces.
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We used to visit somewhere called Sheepleas, and Newlands corner. I remember them being nice.
I must admit our diversity here isn't great although it's getting better, though thays mostly tourists. But our gay scene and the acceptance here is really good.
I guess it partly comes down to what you're used to. If you've grown up in the city, the country is boring. If you've grown up in the country, the city may not appeal.
 
I grew up in the country and couldn't wait to escape :basil: Whereas my dad grew up on the suburban London/Kent border and couldn't wait to escape.
 
Rachey said:
Mandy and I are desperate to visit Scotland, loch Lomond area. But I want no rain.
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You are onto a loser. You can go to Loch Lomond in June and it'll rain and go in October to find it warm and dry. The Scottish weather is very unpredictable.
 
octophone said:
You are onto a loser. You can go to Loch Lomond in June and it'll rain and go in October to find it warm and dry. The Scottish weather is very unpredictable.
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This is what I thought. We were all booked to go and then lockdown happened. Maybe next year!
 
@Ellie is right, the cost of childcare is relatively the same everywhere @Rachey! So even if I lived elsewhere I would be in the same situation. That's why it's so difficult for women to go back to work after kids. But again it's not forever, Kylie starts school in September and we won't be paying for that. Dannii turns 3 next year and then we'll be eligible for some help towards childcare then too.

But I totally agree with you that things change as you get older. So we'll stick with this for now because it works, but eventually we'll move somewhere quieter/greener etc. Even I love the outdoors, but we've got a good sized house right now with a lovely garden, so I can't complain!
 
Can't see it happening. Living with parents at 39 and no real plans to change. I'm aware that this is seen as INCREDIBLY SAD (as this drunken lass was sure to tell me a couple of years ago while I was sat trying to have a quiet pint with my dad, sneering that I'd never get a girlfriend... bold of her to assume I want one) but hey, my life. The arrangement works for me, I have a job and pay my share, they like having me around. So why struggle just for the sake of living separately. Things might go to shit later in life when either a) I'm struggling to balance work with looking after elderly parents or b) I somehow can't and they end up in homes and the house gets claimed to pay for care. But... well then I'll end up renting. And yeah "you're just paying for someone else's mortgage".... oh well? You only live once and it might as well be now while relatively fit and healthy and not later when everything's creaking and aching.
 
@Cloud, in your circumstances I'd definitely be looking at ways of getting the house transferred over to you, and/or maximising the amount they can give you fend off inheritance tax.
 
lolly said:
@Cloud, in your circumstances I'd definitely be looking at ways of getting the house transferred over to you, and/or maximising the amount they can give you fend off inheritance tax.
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Yeah that's on the cards I think. Huge responsibility but I also heard that if you leave it too late then they can see right through your intention to take ownership to prevent it being taken away, and get a court to reverse the ownership...
 
I can't remember exactly, but I know from dealing with Mr L's mother's probate and estate that there are limits to the 'gifts' that can be given each year. The inheritance tax threshold is higher if you're a child, but with property prices being what they are now, you can hit it quite easily without any savings. Definitely worth looking into, no matter how unpleasant. Even more so if you being homeless is a realistic possibility!
 
Are your parents in good health @Cloud? I agree with Lolly, as inevitably it will be left to you anyway so it would be sensible to sign it over to you now? I think if your parents live for a certain amount of years after (think it is 7) then you would not need to pay inheritance. If your parents ended up in care and then signed it over to you it could be seen as deprivation of assets, so you are likely to pay a hefty whack of inheritance tax. It’s not a nice conversation to have, but is certainly a sensible one.
 
@VoR - Have you spoken to a professional?

When I started off, I went to a first time buyers fair, and they offered free one to one sessions with advisers who gave indications of likely mortgage amounts/deposit requirements plus advice on government schemes. It really helped me to focus on what was achievable and how to get there.
 
lolly said:
@Cloud, in your circumstances I'd definitely be looking at ways of getting the house transferred over to you, and/or maximising the amount they can give you fend off inheritance tax.
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If its anywhere near the threshold. Which it may not be in that area of the world.

Still, the only person in my entire family who had any wealth whatsoever was my gran, and that all went to the care home apart from about £5k. So it's still a good idea.
 
Indie said:
If its anywhere near the threshold. Which it may not be in that area of the world.

Still, the only person in my entire family who had any wealth whatsoever was my gran, and that all went to the care home apart from about £5k. So it's still a good idea.
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I admit I have no idea where Cloud is based - I assumed UK.
 
House prices are notoriously high in my town.

parents in good health (*touch wood*) but yeah I know...
 
lolly said:
And what we'll save on plumbing with Floppet having her toolbelt strapped to her zimmer.
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Honestly between us we'd have every angle covered :o

I could do health & Safety/team building, you could administer all the meds to the ageing Moopers, @Lucille can do the interior design for the whole place @Floppet is our maintenance lady, @Suomi can run some classes teaching something (I've still not worked out what he teaches yet) @ZenGiraffe can run our Internet room where we all sit on computers next to each other and talk via Moopy... the list is endless :o
 
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